Surrender
by spyder-m
Summary: Formerly Can't Be Helped. He'd come there to save her, to free her from that horrible place. But what if she didn't want to go with him? Or rather, what if she simply felt it was hopeless to do so? Alternative take on "The Academy" episode. Angsty J/R.


A/N: This is another old AD:JL fic I recently decided to resurrect. It's basically my slightly angsty, alternate take on the episode "The Academy", that came to me late last year. It was the last fic I wrote for this fandom.

I haven't edited or changed at all since I last posted it, so if it still seems vague or rushed, that's why. But I'm still quite happy with it regardless. Anyway, please R&R. I hope you enjoy this! :D

**Disclaimer**: AD:JL belongs to Disney/Jeff Geoode.

* * *

Her Surrender

The young female stood in awe at the sight before her, her blue orbs widening visibly. There he was... The one person who, right now, she wanted to see the most and the least at the same time. The one person who she thought, regardless of how painful the idea was to grasp, she had cut out of her life for good.

"Uh, hey Rose," Jake said, a sheepish grin, written across his face, as he ran his hand over the back of his neck in a nervous manner. He really didn't know what to say... He hadn't been expected to be caught out so soon.

"Jake?" Rose exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief, as she threw out her hand to help him to his feet.  
"Rose," Jake responded, as he stood, finally able to find his words, determination fuelling his voice "I've been looking for you."

"But, W-what are you doing here?" she almost flinched as the young couple met in an embrace. The loving, nurturing gesture she had desired for so long, after being neglected of it for the majority of her childhood, felt completely alien, particularly given the person she was receiving it from... They were supposed to be enemies.

Jake was slightly taken back by her response and, reluctantly, pulled himself out of her arms to look back at her. Confusion evident in his gaze. What am I doing here? He thought. How could she even ask that? I've come here to save her!

"I got your messsage," he began "Y'know, from my dream."  
"I told you not to come after me," she replied simply, causing the sinking feeling in his stomach to manifest once more "It's too dangerous... You have to forget about me."

"What are you talking about?" he shot back, almost angrily "I won't just leave you here."  
"I don't have anywhere else to go. I told you in the dream, Jake. You can't save me..."  
"I don't give a crap," Jake exclaimed, as Rose flinched at the sudden increase in volume and tone of his voice "I came all this way to save you! I'm not turning back now!"

At the silence that responded his declaration, Jake stepped forward, slipping Rose's mask from her face, leaving her now completely vulnerable to him. Her cupped her cheeks gently in his hands, his hands framing her face as he stared deeply into her eyes.

"I'm not going to lose you again," he contined, his voice breaking, now a mere whisper as he gazed deeply into her azure eyes. "I can't, Rose... I... I love you."

Rose was stunned by these words, and her heart swelled. The revelation was bittersweet, as she was overwhelmed with joy at the notion that the feelings she felt were mutual, and she was loved in return by the one she felt for the most. But, in the same instance, this gift was cursed by the path she had been chosen to follow from the day she had been born. She had to live on knowing that the one thing she wanted most in the life would suffer at the hands of her duty as part of the Huntsclan. That their love could never be...

"Jake," she spoke softly, touched by what he had said "Thankyou..."

Their lips met, almost hesistantly, as Rose begin to feel tears brimming in the corner of her eyes. Rose was shocked by the kiss, but gave into it. All the passion and love the two felt for each other was poured into the kiss. Their first kiss, but otherwise their most heartfelt and desired one, as if they were trying to show just much they loved each other through one simple action.

The need for air eventually took over the both of them and they reluctantly pulled away from each other, feeling the warm of their embrace gradually began to fade. Jake smiled brightly at the feeling before looked up, suddenly startled by the solemn look that still lingered in Rose's eyes. He didn't understand. Why was she still so upset? He was going to save her... Everything was going to be okay...

It was then that he noticed the cold feeling taking over his body, as something callous and serated punctured his chest, causing blood to seep through his clothes. He gased down at his abdomen, refusing to believe to believe the sight of the blood on Rose's staff... His blood. He looked up at Rose, taking in her tear stricken face, horror written clearly across his own.

"Rose?" was all he could croak uncertainly, as his knees buckled underneath the weight of his own body and he collasped to the floor. Though the wound had not been it would serve enough damage to cause the young man to pass out from the pain.

Jake winced, grasping at the ugly gash marking his abdomen. Rose fell to her knees, alongside his wounded body, a long tear sliding down the valleys of her remorse filled face.

"I'm sorry, Jake..." she stated, brushing away the moisture seeping from her eyes "I love you too. But I can't leave with you..."

"You have to go... For me."

Those were the last words he would here from her, before his eyes grew too heavy for him to hold open a second longer, and the darkness consumed his vision, his now tired, scarred body welcomg the sleep that overtook him.

Hey, you're awake."

As his eyes opened, Jake was met by the blurred images of his Grandfather, Lao Shi, and Fu-Dog, standing before him. He tried to sit up, but immediately regretted that decision, as a blinding pain overtook his chest. He gave up and lay back down, falling deeper beneath the blanket wrapped around him.

"Where am I?" he croaked, his mind still foggy.

"You're home," his grandfather replied, his tone unreadable "You were asleep for almost a week."  
"Home?" Jake stated "But wait a minute! Does that it mean it was just - Ahhh!"

Jake shuddered at the sheer agony of one his wounds reopening as he attempted to sit up once more.

"We'll leave you for now, kid," Fu-Dog said, before turning along with Lao Shi to leave the room "You need to rest."  
"No wait, I don't understand!" Jake continued, exasperation and confusion building in his voice "What happened to-," He stopped midway through his sentence at the feeling of a stained, mattered fabric in his hand.

He ripped his limb out from underneath the cover, his heart stopping at what said he saw.

It was a Hunstclan mask. More importantly, HER Hunstclan mask. The dark stains upon where the blood he had spilt that was now dry and cracking. Inside of the mask, was a message written in handwritten that he recognised all too well.

"Something's in life, just can't be helped."

* * *

A/N: So... uh, yeah... That's it. I know it's not the greatest thing I've ever written, but I'd appreciate feedback nonetheless.


End file.
